ANST - Field test: cloth pavises

[Keith Hood]

If anyone is interested in making things for the Gulf War, I just 
finished some testing on cloth pavises.

I made two pavises, each 3 feet square, using 1x2's.  The corners were 
just lap joints, held together by woodworker's glue and 2 finishing 
nails each (I deliberately built these things light).

Pavise #1 was covered with a double layer of calico, #2 by a single 
layer of trigger.  In both cases the cloth was just laid on the floor, 
the frame put on top, and the cloth was folded over the edges and 
attached to the backs of the frames.  I made no attempt to stretch the 
cloth, because it will work better for stopping projectiles if it is a 
bit slack.

On #1, the cloth was stapled (heavy-duty) at 2" intervals.  On #2, three 
sides were stapled, and on the fourth side the cloth was attached by a 
heavy application of woodworker's glue, and the cloth pressed while 
drying to work the glue into the fabric.

The pavises were supported by 1x4's that were screwed to the tops of the 
frames, and staked at the far ends.  They were set up so they were 
slanted back at about 5 degrees, and faced so they were perpendicular to 
the line of fire from my ballista.  I tried to set up the props so they 
were directly in line with the line of fire.  On #2 (trigger), the glued 
edge was placed at the top.

I shot at them using unstuffed GT bolts from a measured range of 20 
yards.  The ballista is one that I know from tests will throw such bolts 
90 yards in calm air.  There was a pretty stiff tail wind on each shot.

I stopped and gauged the condition of the pavises from time to time.  
Results in order of firing:

Pavise #1 (doubled calico):

  2 hits on the fabric, second very near upper left corner.  The cloth 
tore lose from 3 staples on the left side on the second shot.
  1 hit also very near upper left corner.  The glue at the corner let go 
and the nails pulled about halfway out.
  1 hit on left frame and 1 hit on cloth near center.  No apparent 
damage.
  1 hit on right frame and 1 hit in center.  At 7th shot, cloth tore 
loose all along the right side and lower right corner came completely 
undone.


Pavise #2 (trigger):

  2 shots on cloth.  No apparent damage.
  2 hits on frame.  No apparent damage.
  1 hit on top frame and 1 hit on cloth.  No apparent damage.
  1 hit on cloth and 1 hit on right frame.  No apparent damage.
  1 hit (9th) on cloth very near right side.  Cloth tore lose from 3 
staples on that side.
  1 hit (10th) on cloth.  No apparent damage.


Corners of #2 (trigger) were still in good shape after 10 shots.  Test 
was then ended due to cold ears.



The trigger cloth worked well.  It held up against multiple hits at 20 
yards.  Fighters I have talked to have testified that blows from this 
weapon at 40 yards can be felt as well as a solid spear thrust.  There 
was one small area where the cloth tore loose from staples, but the 
glued edge held throughout with no sign of weakening.

Larger pavises will probably stand up better because of the greater mass 
through which to distribute the force of a blow.  And how often will an 
archer's pavise be hit by a ballista?  Not dern often, if our attempts 
to suppress opposing missile weapons are done well.

(Horrible thought:  Those who are really into the theatrical aspects of 
what we do may well *want* to build light pavises that are only glued.  
Imagine the dramatic image of fortifications disintegrating under enemy 
fire.)




Conclusions:

  To protect people in the fort battles, build cloth pavises with 
trigger cloth and screw or bolt the corners.  They're light, cheap, and 
effective.



       Tomonaga


-- 
A long bow and a strong bow,
And let the sky grow dark.
The nock to the cord, the shaft to the ear,
And a foreign king for a mark!

        -- Stolen from "The Song of the Bosonian Archers" --
               By Robert E. Howard, who should be
                 the patron saint of Ansteorra


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